|
WTW Shocker: The Surprise Twist Ending |
Go Back |
|
So. The White Trash Wedding. Somewhere along the line, I stopped composing a scathingly witty entry in my head. I think it was when I realized that despite everything, the wedding was actually turning out to be a positively charming event. Charlotte was in the midst of that mysterious process that turns a girl into a bride, and I felt like one of the adoring little kids they have at every wedding, just gazing at her in amazement. Charlotte looked so inexpressibly lovely. So in love. So virginal. So radiant. Exactly the way a bride should look on her wedding day. And it was utterly unselfconscious: she didn’t even know it. Abby and I were both thinking the same thing while we were watching her put on her pantyhose and slip into her garter: we have never seen her look so beautiful. I don’t remember much of the ceremony. I had a smile plastered on my face for the benefit of the 900 cameras pointed in my direction. I remember exchanging a smile with Charlotte as she handed me her bouquet. I remember Bruno reciting his vows in a dispassionate monotone, but that was probably because he was nervous. I remember applauding as they were pronounced husband and wife and breaking into a hopeful grin. For a moment, my heart soared. The darkness somehow transformed an ugly blue tarp into a perfectly passable canopy. It was actually quite an improvement. Although the floating candles floated right to the edge of the pool, they were lovely. And at the last minute, my parents came through with some tea candles we were able to scatter about. Dick’s wife had decorated the cake with fresh flowers, and it was absolutely breathtaking. The food was gorgeously arrayed and delicious. The chicken salad croissants were simply to die for. We drank champagne and mango margaritas. Dick (the best man, who as you will recall detests me) was extremely nice to me and asked me to dance, which was entirely surreal. Bruno’s little brother also asked me to dance, and I do believe he was flirting with me. Yep, I still got it. And here’s the really unexpected thing. After the best man gave his toast, everyone prodded me up to the microphone. I intended to say something very short and perhaps a trace ironic, and here’s what it was: “Charlotte, you and I have been best girlfriends for ten years, and I hope you’re as happy as you deserve to be. I love you.” Here’s what came out: “Charlotte, you and I have been best girlfriends for ten years, and I hope…” My voice broke and I started welling up, “You’re as happy as you…” <sniff> “deserve to be…” I couldn’t go on. I actually started sobbing. I finally managed to choke out, “I… love…you….” That’s right. I broke down crying in the middle of a two sentence speech. Then she started crying and we were hugging and crying… it was really quite tender and sentimental. What the hell is up with that!? My cynicism completely deserted me at that point. Who would have guessed that I would be such a nerd? The worst part about my touching little speech is that Bruce, Danielle, Lucy and Abby all thought I was FAKING it. Like I could fake tears like that. I guess they thought there was no way I actually felt as much for Char as I did. Either that, or they never guessed that I was mourning the fact that she married Bruno (which is certainly possible). Whatever the case, it caught me completely off guard. It was just the whole thing: her beauty, the beauty and simplicity of the ceremony, how gorgeous the bridesmaids all looked, how surprisingly elegant our little bouquets were, the fact that her mother and father were together again for the first time in six years and being warm and cordial…. The whole thing just overwhelmed me. And I wasn’t even drunk yet—half a glass of champagne at most! Despite my embarrassment, I think that everyone thought it was quite a nice wedding moment. Either that, or everyone thinks I’m a freak. Whichever.
I know that tomorrow, I’ll be back to disliking Bruno and being annoyed with Charlotte for marrying him. But I guess weddings are magical things. The bride, the groom and their love are all idealized: we see the best in them. They see the best in each other. For a few hours, we gather together and celebrate that two people love each other and want to spend their lives together. This unexpectedly lovely wedding reinforced my feeling that a wedding is not about a piece of paper, or a tax cut, or the approval of some almighty deity. It’s about two people, their families and their friends all affirming the couple’s lifelong love. It’s about having a day to be on top of the world, and say: this is who I choose. This is true. This is forever. (And that’s why every couple in love should be allowed to do it. No on 22.) |
What
I'm Reading:
Where's my Amazon order?What I'm Writing: I'm sleepy. And I'm hungry. Don't bother me.
Wedding colors: black and white.Journal Quote of the Day: Nothing struck my fancy today.Random Tidbit: Good stuff is happening. In addition to the EXCLUSIVE TIDBITS that I sent to my notify list:Days Until My Birthday: 19 |
